A Holiday "Gift" Guide for Businesses and Organizations | iContact

With the holidays just around the corner, it can be a challenge to find ways to entice new subscribers, or make current customers feel appreciated. It’s easy to spend thousands of dollars on promotional swag or free gifts that may or may not be used — and have an uncertain return on investment.

Think about the purpose of these gifts and freebies — to build brand loyalty in a customer or prospect, whether they’ve bought a product, used a service, or donated to your cause. The ultimate goal is to cement that customer connection; swag is not always the answer.

Let’s look into ways you can build trust without breaking the bank. One effective method is to offer assets that will either provide value to the customer, or help them use your product with greater ease or in interesting ways.

One iContact customer we interviewed recently, Oak Bottle, is doing a great job at this. Oak Bottle sells wood bottles that quickly infuse an oak flavor into wine and spirits. They created a book with recipes to use with their Oak Bottle, but also frequently publish recipes to help their customers craft better drinks.

In the spirit of the holiday season, here are some “gift” ideas that e-commerce, B2B, and nonprofits can send to surprise and delight their customers.

B2B

Financial services: Send out a weekly email with stocks your advisors like and include their reasons why. The key is to build trust and not send out information that has commission riding on it.

Marketing agency: Surprise your customers with an easy design piece, such as a new Facebook cover photo, or a holiday-themed version of their logo. You could also provide a free consultation hour or a new guide of best practices.

Construction or Engineering: Depending on the type of work you do, offer tips for landscaping or decorating. Even if you build office buildings, try sending cubicle decorating tips to new tenants or ideas for plants that like to live indoors. Help them enjoy their new space.

Healthcare: There’s so much information about healthcare on the internet, your contacts might appreciate some clarity. You could send out a guide about poisonous seasonal plants to avoid, or questions to ask your insurance company when shopping around or after an accident. Tips on easy ways to maintain good health and avoid medical expenses will always be well received.

Technology: This is a year-round idea, but IT snafus are a source of frustration for many. One way to delight customers and show that you have a sense of humor, is to send a cartoon to their email acknowledging that IT occasionally does give us all headaches.

Pro Tip: Try giving away something you usually charge for; it reinforces the idea that it’s a “gift” that provides monetary value to the customer.

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

Animal rescue: Offer a guide for new pet owners, for instance, about things they need to buy, what animals shouldn’t eat, or what kind of care should be done monthly.

Health: Create "gift" guides such as “Caring for Caregivers,” with thoughtful tips to help those who may be overwhelmed by caregiving responsibilities. Brainstorm ideas to send to hospitals or care institutions, such as, “Tips to Make the Holidays Brighter for Patients.”

Environmental: Offer a series of tips to your donors and volunteers on initiating a grassroots movement to improve the environment on a local level. Talk about ways to help using local resources, or to encourage children to participate while they are out of school on vacation.

Higher Education: Depending on the department, send a highlight email to donors or alumni on ways you’re involved in the community and how they can connect with you. Another idea would be a “Gift Guide for the Ultimate XYZ Fan” including information and photos of some favorite school swag.

Humanitarian: A series of human-interest stories accompanied by photos is a great way to help people clearly see the good their monetary donations make possible and the positive impact their support has on the lives of others.

Pro Tip: Keep the content positive, it will help to make a personal connection with your customers, so they feel comfortable working with you.

E-COMMERCE

Clothing Retail: Show the different ways your clothes can be stylishly worn. For example, if you are selling a scarf, include a video next to the product that shows different ways to tie the scarf.

Family/Parenting: Send out a how-to guide for making Halloween costumes from everyday items (like grocery bags), a series of healthy Halloween alternative recipes, or a tip sheet with ways kids can safely help in the kitchen.

Paper or Stationery: Send out a how-to guide on creative ways to use those little bits and pieces of unused gift wrapping paper so they don’t go to waste (such as creating gift tags).

Travel: Offer ideas for things to do or places to eat in various destination cities. Categorize your suggestions by family, romance, or places for socializing on business or with friends. For some holiday flair, include parade schedules or seasonal festivities visitors can attend.

Home Décor: Offer tips for creating floral decorations using items easily found in the backyard, pass along recipes to impress, or suggest elegant ways to plate those tasty holiday dishes.

Pro Tip: Keep your focus on the user. Show how your products can make their life simpler, easier, or more enjoyable.

Remember: Think about your customers' problems, common questions, and areas of concern, especially during the holiday season. Produce content and assets that provide answers, help, and value. With just a little creativity, you will be well on your way to making your customers love you even more!